Hosea 7

1 When I would have brought healing to Israel, then was disclosed the iniquity of Ephraim, and the wicked doings of Samaria, for they have wrought falsehood, —when, a thief, would enter, a band roamed about, outside,

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without.

2 And they say not to their own hearts, that, all their wickedness, I remember, now, have their doings, beset them about, right before my face, have they been done.

And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

3 By their wickedness, they gladden a king, and, by their flatteries, —rulers.

They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

4 They all, are adulterers, like an oven too hot for the baker, —who leaveth off stoking, after kneading the dough, till the whole be leavened.

They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceases from raising after he has kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

5 In the day of our king, the rulers, have made themselves ill, with the heat of wine, —he hath extended his hand with scoffers.

In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

6 For they have made ready, like an oven, their heart, by their lying in wait, —all the night, their baker sleepeth, in the morning, he, kindleth up as it were a blazing fire.

For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleeps all the night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

7 They all, become hot as an oven, and devour their judges, —all their kings, have fallen, there hath been none among them crying unto me.

They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calls to me.

8 As for Ephraim! with the peoples, hath he been mingling himself, —Ephraim, is a cake not turned.

Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9 Foreigners have, eaten up, his strength, and, he, knoweth it not, —even gray hairs, are sprinkled upon him, and, he, knoweth it not.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not: yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he knows not.

10 Therefore doth the Excellency of Israel, answer, to his face; yet have they not returned unto Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this!

And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

11 So then, Ephraim, hath become, like a simple dove, having no understanding, on Egypt, have they called, to Assyria, have they gone,

Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

12 Whithersoever they go, I will spread over them my net, like a bird of the heavens, will I bring them down, I will chastise them, by the time the report can reach the flock of them.

When they shall go, I will spread my net on them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.

13 Woe to them! for they have taken flight from me, destruction to them! for they have transgressed against me, —when, I, would have ransomed them, then, they, spake—concerning me—falsehoods.

Woe to them! for they have fled from me: destruction to them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

14 Neither made they outcry unto me, in their heart, although they kept on howling upon their beds, over corn and new wine, they gathered themselves together, they rebelled against me.

And they have not cried to me with their heart, when they howled on their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

15 When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, —yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.

Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

16 They would return—not to him who is on high! They have become like a deceitful bow, their rulers, shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue, this, [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.

They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.